King, third from right; his wife, Coretta; and the Rev. D. F. Reese lead the way to the state Capitol on a walk demanding voter registration rights for blacks. Thousands participated in the walk, which began in Selma, Ala.

The Rev. John Burt, seated at far right, listens as Martin Luther King Jr. addresses 15,000 people at the L.A. Coliseum during an interfaith rally in 1964. Burt helped organize civil rights rallies in Los Angeles.

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. stands with other civil rights leaders on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel a day before his assassination. From left are Hosea Williams, Jesse Jackson, King and Ralph Abernathy.

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. is welcomed by his wife, Coretta, after he leaves court in Montgomery, Ala., on March 22, 1956. King was found guilty of conspiracy to boycott city buses in a campaign to desegregate the bus system, but a judge suspended his $500 fine.

Remembering Martin Luther King Jr.

Local celebrities and regular Angelenos celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day with the 26th annual Kingdom Day parade in South L.A. Civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was born Jan. 15, 1929. His birthday was established as a federal holiday in 1986, 18 years after he was assassinated in Memphis. These photographs provide a brief look at the challenges he faced, as well as his achievements.